Fastener



g- 7 1934 R. c. LEGAT ,2

FAS TENER Filed June 8, 1934 Patented Aug. 7, 1934 FASTENEB Robert C. Legat, New Britain, Conn, assig'nor to G. E. Prentice Manufacturing Company, New Britain, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut.

' Application June 8, 1934, Serial No. 729,653

6 Claims. (Cl. 24-205) This invention pertains to separable fasteners of the type in which series of fastener elements rigidly attached alternately to the free edges of a pair of flexible stringers or the like, are caused to engage or disengage each other by a movable slider, and relates more specifically to a fastener of the above kind designed to permit complete separation of the opposed series of fastener elements and to an improved slider for use there- 10 with.

The present application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 714,958 filed March 10, 1934, which was formally abandoned June 12, 1934.

For certain purposes as, for example, when such fasteners are used on coats or sweaters, it is customary to provide the fastener with a separable bottom stop so designed that when the slider has been moved downwardly to the end of its path, in separating the opposed series of elements, those portions of the bottom stop which are attached tothe respective stringers may be separated, thus allowing removal of the garment from the person without drawing it off over the head. While there are on the market separable bottom stops which, under usual conditions of use, are quite reliable as a means for.

holding the lower ends of the stringers together, it is a fact that none of the separable bottom stops now in use, so far as is known to me, is wholly to be depended upon when subjected to extraordinary conditions of use, for example, when embodied in children's garments, wherein they are subjected to almost every variety of contortion; heavy pulling stress; and to abusive manipulation. In consequence it frequently happens that the bottom stop separates when the slider is in fastener closing position at or adjacent to the upper end of the fastener, and 40 when this happens and the fastener elements above the bottom stop but below the slider become separated, it is substantially impossible for the unskilled person to reengage the opposed series of elements. The userv thus finds himself fastened into the garment and only after recourse to cutting or tearing can he ordinarily be released. Occasionally, fasteners of this type, in which the stringers are permanently united I at the bottom stop, likewise become separated between the bottom stop and the lower end of the slider, and the same difiiculty as above described is encountered in restoring the parts to normal operative position.

In accordance with the present invention I have provided a slider so designed that if oping lengthwise of the fastener.

posing series of properly shaped fastener elements (for example elements of the kind disclosed in thepatent to Prentice, No. 1,658,392, dated February '7, 1928) become separated. in any way below the slider, mere downward move- 0 ment of the slider is effective to reengage the elements of the opposed series so as to restore the fastener to operative condition. This I accomplish by providing the lower end of the slider with cam surfaces similar in general to those 5 ,I usually provided at its upper end and adapted to move the opposing series of fastener elements into engagement in response to downward movement of the slider. Preferably also, the lower end of the slider is provided with'guide aprons 7 at front and rear designed to position the fastener elements as they enter the lower end of the slider.

Each of the fastener elements is directly attached at one end to the edge of one of the respective stringers, as for example by compressingspaced jaw portions of the element about the beaded edge of the stringer so as rigidly to unite the element to the stringer, and adjacent to its outer or free end each fastener element has a recess or socket in its under or lower side, for example, and a corresponding projection or pin on its upper or ODDQ ite side. The extreme outer or free'end of eachelement of each series is preferably rounded, in vertical section, on an are having its center substantially in the horizontal mid-plane of the element, as shown in the drawing. The upper and lower parts of the outer end of each element thus slope divergently from a point intermediate the recessed lower side and the opposite or upper side of the element toward said sides respectively, thereby providing guide surfaces which enable the elements of one series easily to enter between those of the other series, whether the elements of the respective series, in approaching each other, converge downwardly or upwardly. Thus when a slider such as hereinafter disclosed .is moved inone'direction or the other along the series of fastener elements it operates to move-the elements of the opposed series into engaging relationship, all as hereinafter more fully described. The elements of the opposed series are sostaggered that those of one series enter between those of the other series, when the fastener is closed, thereby forming a substantially solid column of interleaved fastener elements extend- Fastener elements thus arranged can only be moved into engaging relation by swinging successive elements of the series so that their constituent particles move in curved paths disposed in planes ers.

" Fig.

substantially parallel to the plane of the string- In the accompanying drawing, in which I have disclosed one embodiment of my invention by way of example, 4 9 1' 1-! Fig. 1 is a front elevation'of a garment provided with my improved fastener,showing the fastener in closed position with the slider near the top of the fastener and with the separable parts of the bottom stop engaged "with each other; g

Fig. .2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the slider adjacent to the lower end of the fastener, with the fastener elements of the opposed series completely separated and the separable portions of the bottom stops disengaged; V

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating the result of the accidental disengagement of the bottom stop members while the slider is near the upper end of the fastener;

'4 is a fragmentary elevation, to larger scale, showing my improved slider near the upper-fend of the fastenerin fastener closing position; I v

Fig. 5 is aside elevation of my improved slider removed from the fastener units;

Fig.6 is a fragmentary vertical section, substantially parallel to the front faceof the slider,

' showing the interior construction of the latter;

. ing the '1 is a plan view of a blank useful in formv slider of Figs. 4, 5 and 6; Fig; 8 is a plan view showing the blank of Fig. '7 after the formation of the lateral-flanges on the wing portions of the blank; and Fig. 9 is a section, to larger scale, showing a fastener element of a preferred construction.

Referring to the drawing, the numerals 1 and 2 indicate respectively the right and left-hand a garment, for example, a a naps or front portions form portions or flaps of coat sweater. These or have attached thereto the flexible stringermembers 3 and 4 (Fig. 4) which in turn carry the opposed series 5 and 6 of fastener elements. These fastener elements are preferably, though not necessarily, of the specific construction disclosed'in the aforementioned Patent: No. 1,658,-

392 to Prentice, each having its free end so shaped as to facilitate entrance of the fastener elements of one series between those of the socket coaxial with the pin,

other whether by upward or downward move-' ment of my improved slider. Each of these elements, asclearly disclosed in said Prentice patout has substantially parallel upper and lowerv surfaces 5 and 5 respectively, a pin 8 projecting upwardly from the upper surface, and a in the lower surface, (Fig; 9). As specifically illustrated, the free end 5 of the element is symmetrically rounded in vertical section on an arc whose center is in a horizontal plane substantially midway'between the upper and lower surfaces 5 and 5 the upper and lower oppo sitely sloped portions of these curved ends constitutingguide surfaces.

Thus whether the elements of opposed series approach each other in upwardly convergent relation asin the normal operation of closing the fastener,or in downwardly converging relation as when it is attempted to reengage elements of the respec- '"tive series, accidentally separated below the rice, without substantial tendency to cramp slider, the free end of one element slips easily between a pair of elements of the opposite sesurfaces at the end of "being provided.

. stitute,

bind. Obviously, fastener elementswhose ends are shapeddiflerently from those specifically illustrated, but which are the functional equivfa lents of the rounded ends, may be substitutedv for those here shown. For example, the guide the fastener elements may be plane rather than curved, or curved about different. centers, or have different slopes. At the upper ends of the series 5 and 6 respectively of fastener elements I provide top stops '1 and 8, and at the lower ends of the respective series I provide separable bottom stop members 9 and 10, the member 9 being a socket member and the member 10 a pin member. If desired, the garment may be provided with a button 11 anti with a tab 12 havin a buttonhole below the bottom stop to hold the extreme lower ends of the front flaps of the garment together.

In accordance with thepresent invention 1 provide an improved slider body 14 which, as is usual, comprises the front-wing 15 and the rear wing 16 united by the neck portion 17. This slider has an elongate pull-retaining loop 18 to which theslider-actuating pull'19 is attached. Preferably this slider is substantially symmetri- 09.1' laterally, that is to say, with respect to a longitudinal center line, and the actuating pull 19 is preferably disposed symmetrically laterally of the slider so that in manipulating the slider by means of the pull substantially no force is developed such as would tend to tipor cant the slider sidewise. j

This slider comprises lateral guide flanges defining a pair of upwardly divergent-cam surfaces or elements 20 and 21 which, during the 1m upward movement of the slider, cooperate to move the fastener elements of the opposed series into interlocking engagement with each other. The neck portion 17 constitutes a wedge, (which as shown is substantially symmetrical-1 5 laterally) for separating the opposed series of fastener elements as the slider is moved downwardly. In accordance with the present invention the lateral guide flanges are so shaped as also to provide a pairof downwardly divergent cam surfaces 22 and 23 at the lower end of the slide and these latter cam surfaces are adapted to move fastener elements of the op posed series into locking engagement with each other by downward movement of the slider, ii 325 such fastener elements have accidentally become separated at a point below the slider. No separating wedge or similar device is necessary or provided at the lower end-bf the slider.

Preferably, I provide guide aprons 24 and 25 projecting down from the lower ends of the front and rear wings, respectively, and these aprons preferably are provided with arcuate lower edges, and assist in properly positioning the'fastening elements as the latter enter the lower end of the slider. f

For making this improved slider Iv preferably provide a blank such as shown in Fig. '1 comprising the-wing portions 15* and 16-, each having a curved extension at its free end, said wings being integrally united by the neck portion 1'1. The blank also comprises the elongate tongue member 18 having the terminal portion 18 of reduced width. In forming the slider, one of the first operations is to turn up lateral flanges, preferablyon each wing portion 15' and 18 as shown at 20', 22' and 21*, 23', (Fig. 8), respec tively. The flange'portions 20' and 21 conin the finished slider, the pair of cam' surfaces 20 and 21 above described, while the 150 ,extemal objects which flange portions 22 and 23* constitute the pair of downwardly divergent cam surfaces 22 and 23 in the completed slider. The slider itself may be completed so as to bring the wing portions of the blank into substantially parallel relation and to give the neck and the retaining loop 18 their proper final shapes in any suitable manner, but preferably as described in Patent No. 1,900,949 to Prentice, dated March 14, 1933, since such procedure furnishes a slider of exceedingly strong and rigid construction.

When the improved slider as thus constructed is applied to the fastener, it may be manipulated in the usual manner inclosing and opening the fastener device in the same way as in usual sliders, the fastener elements of the opposed series swinging so that their constituent particles move in planes substantially parallel to the front face of the slider and approaching each other in upwardly convergent relation in the normal closing operation. When the fastener is closed, the elements of the opposed series are interleaved so as to form a substantially solid column lengthwise of the fastener, thus positively preventing separation of the elements at intermediate points. However,-if, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the bottomstop members 9 and 10 should become disengaged accidentally while the slider is near the upper end of the fastener and the fastener elements become separated from thelower end of the series upwardly, they may be reengaged so as to permit the user to get out of the garment, merely by downward movement of the slider, since the pair of cam surfaces or elements 22 and 23 cooperate during such downward movement to move the fastener elements, which new approach each other in a downwardly convergent relation, into engagement (and prior to their immediate reseparation by the wedge memher or neck 17) by a motion similar to that by which they are engaged by upward movement of the slider, During such downward movement, the aprons 24 and 25 assist in bringing the fastener units of the opposed series into the same plane, for example, if the stringers are twisted, and also act as plows to turn aside any may be in the way ofthe slider. Y

When-herein I employ such terms as top, bottom, "upper"; lower, under, "verticaP, horizontal", above, below, etc. I for convenience in description and with reference to the relations of the various elements as actually illustrated in the drawing but without any intent thereby to indicate that the fastener elements or other parts must inuse always occupy the positions shown in the drawing. For example, while as shown in Fig. 4, the pin member of each fastener element projects from the top or upper side of such element and the pin-receiving recess or socket is in the under,

lower, or bottom side of the element, it is obvious that if the fastener were attached so as normally to close by downward movement of the slider, the pin would project'from the under side of the element .and the recess the upper side of the element.

While I have herein disclosed one specific embodiment of the invention by way of example, I wish it to be understood that the invention is not necessarily limited to this specific embodiment but to all equivalents thereof such as may fall within the scope of the appended I claim:

I do so would be m edge of one of the respective stringers and adjacent to its free end having a recess in one side and a corresponding projection on its opposite side, the elements of the opposed series being so stag red that those of one series are disposed between those of the other series, when the fastener is closed, to form a substantially solid column of interleaved fastener elements, with the projections of the elements of one series engaging the recesses of the elements of the opposite series, the free end of each element of each series being roundedon a smooth curveextending substantially from the recessed side to the opposite side of the element thereby to facilitate entrance of elements of oneseries between those of the other series, a laterally symmetrical slider body' movable longitudinally of the fastener, said slider body comprising a pair of cams operative to close the fastener by upward movement of the slider, a pair of cams operative to close the fastener by downward movement of the slider to reengage fastenerelemerits of the opposed series which may have become separated-in the space between the bottom stop and the slider body, and an actuating pull attached to the slider body and disposed symmetrically with reference to the longitudinal center line of the slider body.

2. In combination in a fastener of the class described, flexible stringers, ,a bottom stop normally uniting said stringers, and opposed series of fastener elements, each fastener-element being directly attached at one end to'the' edgefree'end having a recess in one side and a corresponding projection upon its-opposite side, the

elements of the opposed series being so staggered that those of one series are disposed between those of the other series, when the fastener is closed, to form-a substantially solid column of interleaved fastener elements with the projectionsof the elements of one series engaging the recesses of the elements of theopposite series, the free end of each element of each series having guide means to facilitate entrance of elements of one series between those of the other series whether the elements of the respective series'converge downwardly or upwardly as they approach each other, a slider body ,movable longitudinally of the fastener and hav- 3. In combination in a fastener of the class described, flexible stringers, aseparable bottom "stop normally uniting the stringers adjacent to one end of the fastener, opposed series of fastener elements, each fastener element being rigidly attached at one end to the edge of one of the respective stringersand at its free endhaving a recess at one side and a projection on its opposite side, the elements ofthe. opposed series end operative to close the fastener as the .the fastener is closed, to form and anactuatingpull attached to body having a recess its. opposite side,

series, when substantially solid column of interleaved fasthe bottom stop,

'in advance of said movement of the slider described, flexible stringers, mally unitingsaid stringers,

being so staggered disposed between those of that those of one series are the other series, when a substantially solid column of interleaved fastener elements with the projections of the elements of one series engaging, the recesses of the elements of the opposite series,'the free end of each fastener element of each series being substantially symmetrical with respect to a horizontal plane intermediate the recessed and the opposite side of the element, said end comprising sloping guide surfaces, adjacent to the recessed side and the opposite side respectively of the element, designed to facilitate entrance of elements of one series between those of the other, whether the elements of the opposed series approach each other in upwardly or downwardly convergent relation, a slider body having cam means operative to cause the fastener elements to interengage or to disengage as the slider is moved in one or in the opposite direction, respectively, said slider body being substantially symmetrical laterally and being movable lengthwise of the fastener, and other cam means operative, as the slider body is moved toward the bottom stop, to reengage fastener elements of the opposed series which may have become separated in the space betweenthe bottom stop and theslider body, the slider and disposed symmetrically with reference center line of the slider.

fastener of, the class a bottom stop noradjacent to oneend to the longitudinal 4. In combination in a described, flexible stringers, mally uniting the stringers of the fastener, opposed series of fastener elements, each fastener element being directly attached at one end to the edge of one of therespective stringers and adjacent to its free end in one side and a projection on v the elements 'of the opposed series being so staggered that those of one series are disposed between those of the other thefastener is closed, to form a tener elements with the projections of the elements of one series en aging the recesses of the elements of the opposite series, the free end of each element of each series comprising'guide surfaces diverging from a point intermediate the recessed and opposite sides of guide surfaces being designed to facilitate entrance of elements of one series between those of the other whether the elements of the opposed series approach in upwardly or downwardly convergent relation, a slider body movable longitudinally of the fastener, the slider body having cam surfaces adjacent to its upper slider body is moved away from the bottom stop, and a separator element, disposed adjacent to the upper end of the slider body, operative to open the fastener as the slider body ismoved toward the [slider body also having adjacent to its lower end operativ separator element, during body toward the bottom stop, to reenga'ge fastener elements which have become separated below the slider body.

5. In combinationin a fastener of the class a bottom stop norcam surfaces to its free end having a recess the element, such upwardly or downwardly convergent relation,

and opposed series.

of fastener elements, each fastener element being directly attached at one. end to the edge of one of the respective stringers and adjacent in one side and a projection on its opposite side, the elements of the opposed series being so staggered that those of one series are disposed between those of the other series, when'the fasteneris closed, to

forma substantially solid column of interleaved' fastener elements with the projections of the elements of one series engaging the recesses of the elements of the opposite series, the free end of each element of each series having guide means to permit it to enter easily between elements of the opposed series, whetherthe elements of the opposed series approach in upwardly or downwardly converging relation, a laterally symmetrical slider movable longitudinally of the fastener, said slider having a body comprising front and rear wings united by a neck, each wing having inwardly directed lateral flanges elements, said slider having cam means adjacent to its lower end for reengaging fastener elements which have become disengaged between the stop and the lower end of the slider, and fastener-element guiding aprons projecting downwardly from the wings to a substantial distancebelovg the lower ends of the respective flanges to assist in properly positioning the fastener elements as they. enter the lower end of the slider.

6. In combination in -a fastener of the class described, flexible stringers supporting opposed series of fastener elements, a bottom stop normally uniting said stringers adjacent to one end of the series of elements, and an actuating slider, each fastener element being attached at one end to the edge of one of the respective stringers and adjacent to its free end having a recess in one side and a projection on its opposite side, the elements of the opposed series being so staggered that those of one series are disposed between those of the other series, when the fastener is closed, to form a substantially solid column of interleaved fastener elements with the projections of the elements of one series enga ing the recesses of the elements of the opposite series, the free end of each element of each series having guide means so designed as to facilitate the entrance of the elements of one series between those of the other series by the action of the slider whether the elements of the respective series are disposedineither said slider having a body movable longitudinally of the series, said slider body including parts defining for guiding the fastener" a substantially Y-shaped passage for the fast- I ener elements, said passage comprising a stem portion and upwardly diverging arms, the lower end of the stem portion of the passage being of greater width in horizontal cross section than the upper end of said stem portion whereby the reengagement of fastener elements of the opposite series, which may have become separated between the lower .end of the slider and the bottom stop, and disposed in downwardly convergent relation, is effected by downward movement of the slider.

nosna'rc. wear. 

